250-300 Dead Cattle–Some in or Near Waterways–Found at Christie’s Properties

Today the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Department is continuing its investigation into the charges of animal abuse linked to Ray Christie. They are at Christie’s property near South G Street in Arcata. Samantha Karges, a spokesperson for the department, stated they are “serving warrants at additional properties associated with Christie.”

Below is video provided by Benjamin Franklin Grant of law enforcement at the property near South G Street.

Below is a press release about the investigation fromthe Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office. The information has not been proven in a court of law and any individuals described should be presumed innocent until proven guilty:

During a five month investigation into large-scale animal cruelty complaints about properties owned by or associated with local rancher Raymond Frank Christie, Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputies observed bovine bones and carcasses in/near waterways, as well as, areas on the properties where cattle were being contained with little to no feed or grass. These observations validated community complaints that serious violations were taking place on the properties.

On Monday, March 19, 2018, the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office served search warrants at four northern Humboldt County properties associated with Christie, with assistance from the following agencies:
 Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office
 United States Bureau of Land Management
 United States Department of Agriculture
 California Department of Food and Agriculture
 California Department of Fish and Wildlife
 Humboldt County Code Enforcement
 Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services Hazardous Materials Division
 Humboldt County Animal Control
 Humboldt County Drug Task Force
During the service of the warrants, personnel located approximately 250 to 300 deceased cows, some of which Christie had heaped into large piles approximately 10 feet high near an excavator; others were located laying in/near waterways. Personnel also found a large number of cows contained in small or insufficient corrals and many malnourished animals.
Further violations found included:
 Moving dairy cattle without official ID tags
 Removal of Brucellosis tags
 Removal of state livestock back tags
 Bringing cattle into California without veterinary inspection certificates or ID tags
 Improper disposal/storage/removal of solid waste
 Improper animal keeping
 Illegal development within a streamside management area
 Cannabis permit violations
 Improper/illegal disposal of biohazard waste
 Building code violations

Additionally while on the properties, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife discovered the following violations:
 Twenty-one violations of disposal of a carcass within 150 feet of a state waterway
 Seven violations of discharging sediment into state waterways
 Five violations of placement of refuse within 150 feet of a state waterway
 One violation of abandoned motor vehicle in a state waterway
 Eight violations of substantial alteration of bed and banks of a stream without a permit
 Three unpermitted stream crossings

Humboldt County Animal Control found the following violations on the properties:
 Five violations of dogs kept in unsanitary conditions
 Eight violations of dogs without water
 Five violations of inadequate space for dogs to move freely
 Four violations of primarily housing a dog on wire flooring

Violations found by the Humboldt County Animal Control were corrected on scene and the dogs were left in the care of a responsible party. The California Department of Food and Agriculture has placed 179 head of cattle on hold for repossession pending further investigation. A plan to care for the remaining livestock owned by Christie is still being developed.

Based on the evidence located, the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office arrested Christie on the following charges:
• PC 597(a) – Animal cruelty
• PC 597(b) – Causing an animal to be cruelly killed
• PC 597.1 (a) – Failure to provide proper care to an animal
• FG 5652 – Disposal of a carcass within 150 feet of a state waterway

Christie was booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility with bail set at $25,000.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife as well as other involved state agencies will be requesting additional charges as this investigation continues.
Anyone with information for the Sheriff’s Office regarding these cases or related criminal activity is encouraged to call the Sheriff’s Office at 707-445- 7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at 707-268- 2539.

Musta missed it, where does it say he has a cannabis permit? Could you post the link that you found that info on please? Or where in this article I missed it?

Now’s the time for the agencies to practice what theyre preaching and really throw the book at this guy like they would a grower breaking these rules!!! Oh wait thats right, since its not cannabis it won’t be sych a big deal. Cuz cannabis is more regulated than the food you eat, milk you drink (look up allowable blood and pus levels under fda guidelines) & water coming off animal farms.

Where are the industry regulators for the cattle folks? If this situation can go on this long with no one checking on it well that really makes me re-think buying dairy products from here anymore, who knows whats happening to the local cows we eat/get milk from!
This is not the first time this guy’s been caught harming animals. Oh good ole boy network when will you fade away.

We are talking major animal cruelty here, it break my heart to hear that this man could do this, and call himself a rancher? Who really cares if he had a cannibis permit? Why do all you people totally get off the subjects!!!!! This is animal cruelty…stay on the subject that its ANIMALS…NOT WEED!! Wtf does it have to do with starving to death animal in any way???? Shows where your interest is! Obviously!

You are so correct, “Who Really Cares!”. What does it say about so-called “humans” who focus on anything other than the atrocities, cruelty, and suffering in connections with those poor, defenseless animals?

Oh come on. That must be an emotional type response. You really think it is a persons legal obligation to be aware of whats happening on neighbors property and then report their findings to law enforcement? I am not defending what this guy did at all, but I sure as hell don’t want to live in a world governed by your statement.

On LoCO the stated stated that multiple people called in concerns which led to the investigation. It is heartbreaking that it took five months of investigation to be able to arrest him, I imagine it takes time when so many agencies are involved.

I pray they bust his ass with every ,fine ,levy they can possibly hit him with .i absolutely loath people that are cruel to animals ,but 25,000 bail that is ridiculous. It should be a 250,000 bail or no bail ,but I doubt if old Maggie will do much .look what marcies is ,and has gotten away with .i have zero faith in her regime.

you are a local. what do you think the outcome will be? the only local I have seen truly messed with is Floyd. I bet all of this is a show to ask for more Measure Z funding and prove the live stock deputy was a solid decision.

it means friends and family plan, and you wonder why there are some many tweakers raised here. I have found the level of entitlement with locals is quite disturbing, but how the kids perceive their parent’s boasting this entitlement is why we are in the boat we are in now, which concerns me more than their parents. its always important to remember that our kids don’t become us, they become their image of us through their eyes.

He is demonstrating his no till the cow method he thinks he is fertilizing his field those poor animals, send him to India so someone can force him to learn how to treat cows better as part of a rehabilitation program so he can become a sain person again if he ever was one . And no more opiots for you someone looks like they fell asleep and forgot all about there cows what a waste of life on earth.

Many have said he is a great guy for taking animals that nobody wanted. Animals would be better off put down before going to this guy, and then living their life out suffering and in pain. So sad for the animals that suffered. They depend on people to give them a quality life. Put this guy in a pen with no clothes, water or food.

Mogtx, glad to see someone who cares about animals. I’ve had over 200 cats dumped off on me that needed help in one way or another plus needed to be fixed or put down that really broke my heart. I’ve taken care of all of them. It’s very hard on a fixed income but you find ways to do it. The neighbors should have reported him. God help if I ever caught someone dumping on me He would have to give his ass to God because no one else would ever have him.

So glad this is being addressed. About three days ago I saw a skin-and-bones cow heaving and unable to stay with the herd in that South G field you can see from the 101 S on-ramp coming off Samoa Blvd. The next couple days I could see its corpse lying in the same spot, but I didn’t know who to call, or that it was such a big problem.

Ranching is dirty business. There is nowhere to bring dead animals, what is he supposed to do with carcasses? What would you do with a bunch of dead cows? Maybe make a pile, bury them later? The land doesn’t look over grazed ( I drive past a lot) He’s definitely a sloppy operator, but raising beef is messy business, has anyone seen the concentration camp-like feedlots? I think his operation not as bad as those, honestly.

It’s hard to tell what’s going on from some pictures. It maybe overheated but I have had animals get fat and had to lock them away from pasture that looked like nothing is there. The reverse is true too. I have had animals stand in lush looking grass that was mostly water and had to supplement feed.

He could have bought some poor prospects and had a disease brought in too. It could be that he bought skinny cattle and planned to feed them up.

The best thing to do is let the court take care of it. Some of the charges have nothing to do with animal health and at the least those need answers. But others could turn out to be minor issues of misfortune. Or not. 250 dead animals is a whole lot to be just misfortune.

[edit] How the hell do you defend someone with hundreds of dead animals on their property?! That he gets a pass, to allow all that suffering, because there is no rendering plant here?!? They should have been put down humanely. There is no sane reason to prolong their suffering! [edit] There is something deeply wrong with this guy. [edit]

ray buys about thirty thousand head a year thats 30000. to lose only 250 or 300 thats a pretty low percentage and look in the feed bin did anyone not notice theres feed in it and theres hay in the barn. and the vet is there every week and the state brand inspector is there twice a week. open your eyes people get a clue. and there is no rendering plants. a man can only do the best he can. let he who has never sined cast the first stone

I kind of agree. I do t know him, but I know ranching and it’s not always pleasant business. It’s true he’s on display by being right where every Arcata / eureka city person gets to see what he does and judge him from the road. So I’m sure he gets a lot of complaints. I don’t know enough to have a real opinion, but I don’t see anything too bad here and i’d give him the benefit of the doubt. I know from experience that the ‘agencies’ are a bunch of drama queens and like to make a big deal out of anything they can.

He buys sick cows for cheap apparently, and tries to nurse them up and make a profit that way. If he buys 30k head a year that would explain why so many dead. This farm doesn’t look any different from many in the area, from what I see.
I don’t like the idea of all that effluent draining into the bay, but it has been farm land for a long time, and unless someone can buy him out and restore that land, it’s going to stay as farmland.

Unfortunately, I think most of that is fairly normal for the beef industry. I’m assuming the dead cattle represent a pretty small portion of his total heads, as I wouldn’t think he was in the business of losing money. And while I think anyone who abuses their dogs should be given a special extra-small jail cell to think about it in, animal abuse is rife throughout the county.

This guy sucks! Considering how high the numbers are it’s amazing to me that some of you are still defending this creep. So much preaching about pot farmers being responsible for every water issue (or any issue) going on in this county but it’s all peaches and cream for this guy to have rotting cow corpses in his waterway. And boohoo the rendering plant shut down so what is the poor little rancher supposed to do with dead cows. I don’t know the answer to that but he sure as hell should. He’s the one who runs a cattle ranch not me. $25,000 bail is an insult to all abused animals. Animals get no justice from us humans.

All of the people that don’t know him, making excuses for him, are pretty gross. I expect it from his brainwashed family, but total strangers? This guy is a sociopath. And his neighbors have complained. A lot. They make that clear in the articles. That’s why there was a raid. It’s not the neighbors fault the agencies didn’t respond the same day they made the complaint. It’s obviously a big deal with a multi-agency, five-month investigation.

Is there any way to know where the meat from his cattle end up? I drive by there at night and the livestock trucks are still pulling in, investigation or no. I’m curious to know if his animals are included in the local grass-fed beef that they sell at the CoOp or EkaNatch stores up here.

This guy has been abusing animals for years. Everyone knows about it. Tons of complaints. And my former neighbor was a breeder of fighting cocks, told me all about the stuff that Ray does. When he was busted for cock fighting my neighbor lost a bunch of his stuff he had stored on Rays property. We were all stunned that he has continued to get away with it. He is no rancher…just a sicko.

A true psychopath just look at his face and eyes. Everybody ought to show their children this face depicted right here. A perfect prime example of someone you want to have no business with. Teach your children to recognize the sick fuckers. Also why did it take so long for law enforcement and the county to react? The complaints date back a few years! They were all true and serious! Why did it take this long? Why did hundreds of animals have to die? Why does the county not give a fuck? This could have been prevented! The county is to blame here! Just think about the IQ level of County officials that giving animal like this the proper permits and green lights not just for ranching but on top of that cannabis cultivation. It’s about time someone goes into town to slap some sense into these idiots at the county departments. Who’s going to do it? Someone needs to! It’s time!

While I appreciate the arrest of this horrible man, it’s to bad the suffering animals had to endure an additional 5 months of suffering during an investigation. It shouldn’t take that long when it should be pretty obvious what’s wrong. Lots of complaints. Rescue first investigate later. Animals going without basics like food and water deserve better. I have a similar situation next to me. Although on a much smaller scale. I chose to trespass and supply animals with water while waiting for animal control to show up. My neighbors pot plants have auto water and fertilizer, heaters, fans , swamp coolers, at the same time animals are treated horrible, at his sustainable, clean green, environmentally friendly , permitted sham of a farm. Meanwhile the idiot claims to make 100,000 dollars annually on livestock sales. So not true. Animals kept hostage to help stage his money laundering scheme.

This has been going on for decades. I have had the privilege of boarding my now 32 year old horse near a Christie operation since the horse was a spring chicken.
I have freed starving Christie goats from fences. I learned to always carry wire-cutters in my saddlebags since the goats, trying to get some feed outside the barren pastures, would entangle their horns in the fencing. (I used to wonder, ‘WHY DOESN’T THE RANCHER CHECK ON HIS ANIMALS?” The rancher was always M.I.A Some of the goats had obviously been entangled for days.
I have had to cover my face with a bandana because of the stench of rotting carcasses.
I have seen sheep so crippled with foot rot, they could barely keep up with the herd.
Once, a cow got my attention by pathetically waving it’s broken leg at me as I rode by.
A shipment of cattle had just been unloaded and this Holstein cow had been severely injured in transport. Did the ”rancher” take note of this injured animal, and perhaps euthanize her, as the least he could do?
Ray Christie is no rancher.
He’s nothing more than a sadist animal hoarder, the rural equivalent of the ”Infamous Eureka slumlord”, Floyd Squires. (A crazed property hoarder, totally lacking in the means, or desire, to maintain his dozens of properties.)
HOWEVER, my real beef is not with this sick puppy, Ray Christie.
For literally decades, I’ve wondered, ”WHY IN HELL DOESN’T THE COUNTY DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS S.O.B.??
There is no doubt that the county has received hundreds, if not thousands, of complaints over the years from the concerned public.
For God’s sake, Christies’s pasture are all along well traveled rural roads. Even the laziest livestock control officer can tool along in his/her county vehicle, and observe all that the horrified public has complained about–over and over again, year after year.
Sadly, over the years, the word on the street became, “The county won’t touch him. It’s no use to complain…”
In closing, why has this pathetic response taken so damn long?